Crucial phase for Curaçao
Curaçao is led by Dick Advocaat and is home to a number of players who grew up in the Netherlands, including Eloy Room, Jürgen Locadia and Leandro Bacuna. For the team of The Little General there are a few tough and crucial matches on the menu.
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First, Curaçao faces leader Jamaica (in the night from Friday to Saturday at 1:00 a.m. Dutch time) and exactly four days later, number three Trinidad and Tobago is the opponent. The advantage is that these are two home games for Curaçao. If both matches are won, it will take over the top position in the group from Jamaica with two games to go.
The leading position is also crucial in the battle for World Cup tickets. Only the number 1 qualifies directly for the World Cup. The two best runners-up – out of a total of three groups – then play a play-off for the last ticket for countries from North America. With Canada, Mexico and the US, that continent naturally supplies three more countries, namely the organisers.
THE STANDING
Jamaica 6 (+6)
Curacao 4 (+1)
Trinidad & Tobago 1 (-2)
Bermuda 0 (-5)
Indonesia starts with a clean slate
For Indonesia, the battle for a World Cup ticket in the play-offs has already begun. Patrick Kluivert’s team – including Ole Romeny, Thom Haye and Miliano Jonathans – started poorly.
Patrick Kluivert © Afp
Indonesia lost its first match in the qualifying group on Wednesday. Kluivert and co lost 3-2 against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
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The two countries will play together with Iraq for qualification for the World Cup. The group winner qualifies directly for the global final round. The number 2 gets another chance through the play-offs. Indonesia will play against Iraq in Jeddah on Saturday (kick-off 9:30 PM).
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If Saudi Arabia and Iraq have played against each other on Tuesday, the number 1 of this group will go straight to the World Cup. The number two plays a subsequent play-off against the number two from the other play-off group. Number three is then ready.
The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman are active in the other play-off group.
Suriname on World Cup course
Suriname, led by Stanley Menzo, is in the best position of the three selections. Suriname – including Etienne Vaessen, Sheraldo Becker, Jean-Paul Boëtius and Richonell Margaret – is in the lead in its qualifying group.
Stanley Menzo. © ANP / Gerrit van Keulen
This week there are matches with last-place Guatemala (Friday at 11 p.m.) and number three Panama (Wednesday night) on the menu. If Menzo’s team manages to win both matches, they will be very close to qualifying for the World Cup; although there is still a game at home against number two El Salvador on the menu in November.
The same applies to Suriname as to Curaçao. Group victory is a ticket to the World Cup. If you finish second, there may be a play-off for the last ticket. It is therefore possible that Menzo and Advocaat will then face each other.
THE STANDING
Suriname 4 (+1)
El Salvador 3 (0)
Panama 2 (0)
Guatemala 1 (-1)